High-Speed Steel—The most versatile taps resist heat and wear to stay sharp. They’re good for most metals and plastic.

Uncoated—The economical choice, these won't last as long as coated taps.

Plug Chamfer—These taps thread through holes and blind holes. The tapered section is shorter than a taper chamfer and longer than bottoming chamfer. As a result, they're easier to turn than bottoming taps but require more force than taper taps.